Puff Sleeve Peplum Jacket Sewing Pattern – Free PDF #SC1007

A fitted button-front jacket with a rounded mandarin collar, softly gathered puff sleeve heads and a gathered peplum that flares from the waist. Darts at the front and back shape the bodice close to the body, and the neckline and front edges are finished with an interfaced facing for a clean inside. Wear it over a pencil skirt for a polished suit look, or with straight jeans and flats for every day.

If you love a jacket with a bit of drama, this puff sleeve peplum jacket sewing pattern is a fun one to have in your collection. The bodice stays close and neat, then the gathered peplum flips out at the waist and the sleeve heads rise in soft puffs, so the whole outline reads as a small waist with a playful, feminine shape. It feels a little vintage and a little modern at once. The jacket finishes just below the waist, which makes it a natural match for high-waisted trousers, skirts and dresses. It is especially kind to pear and straight figures, since the peplum adds curve at the hip and the puffed shoulders balance it from above.

→ Jump to the free download

1 cm (3/8″) seam allowance · 2 cm (3/4″) peplum hem included

What makes this peplum jacket pattern special

The body is shaped with bust and waist darts at the front and shoulder and waist darts at the back, and it has about 5–7 cm of ease at both bust and waist. That keeps the bodice trim, which is exactly what makes the peplum stand out. From the centre back neck, the jacket measures roughly 49–52 cm to the peplum hem depending on size, so it sits just past the waist rather than over the hips.

Three details carry the look: the rounded mandarin collar, the gathered fullness at the top of each long sleeve, and the gathered peplum, which is cut separately and joined at the waist. The front fastens with a row of small 1 cm buttons, and the inside is finished with an interfaced facing instead of a lining.

Skill level and time

This one is rated intermediate. Compared with a plain fitted jacket, you have two extra sets of gathers to control, and the peplum has narrow hems on its front edges. Count on roughly 8–10 hours for a sewist who is comfortable with darts and set-in sleeves, plus time to print and cut.

Useful tools: a machine with a buttonhole foot, a long stitch length for gathering, a tailor’s ham and sleeve roll for pressing, plenty of pins, chalk, and a narrow-hem foot if you have one.

Sizing guide

Drafted for a height of 1.68 m (5′6″). The jacket is fitted, with about 5–7 cm of ease at bust and waist. Choose your size by bust, then adjust the waist if needed. Not sure? Read how to choose your size.

Letter sizes: 00/0 = XXS · 2/4 = XS · 6/8 = S · 10/12 = M · 14 = L · 16 = XL · 18 = XXL · 20 = 3XL · 22 = 4XL

Body measurements

cm	00	0	2	4	6	8	10	12	14	16	18	20	22
Bust	80	82.5	85	87.8	90.2	92.8	95.2	99.2	104.2	109.2	114.2	119.2	124.2
Waist	63.5	66	68.8	71.2	73.8	76.2	78.8	82.8	87.5	93.2	99	104.8	110.5
Hips	87.8	90.2	92.8	95.2	98	100.2	102.8	106.5	111	115.5	120.8	125.8	130.8

Finished garment measurements

cm	00	0	2	4	6	8	10	12	14	16	18	20	22
Bust	85.5	88	90.5	93.2	95.8	98.2	100.8	104.8	109.9	115	120.1	125.2	130.3
Waist	70.6	73.1	75.8	78.3	80.9	83.4	86	90.1	94.9	100.8	106.6	112.5	118.4
CB length	48.9	49	49.1	49.2	49.2	49.2	49.4	49.7	50	50.4	50.9	51.3	51.8
Sleeve length	61.9	62.1	62.4	62.5	62.7	62.9	63.1	63.2	63.4	63.4	63.5	63.7	63.8
Sleeve opening	21.8	21.5	22.9	23.3	23.7	24.5	24.9	25.4	25.8	26.2	27	27.4	27.9

CB length is measured from the centre back neck to the peplum hem.

Fabric requirements

cm	00	0	2	4	6	8	10	12	14	16	18	20	22
150 cm wide	160	160	160	160	160	180	180	180	180	190	190	190	190
115 cm wide	180	180	180	180	180	240	240	240	240	270	270	270	270
Interfacing	60	60	60	60	60	70	70	70	70	70	70	70	70

Calculated with the grainline straight, plus about 8 % for straightening and shrinkage.

Adjusting the fit

Sleeve length. The sleeves are long, so compare the finished sleeve length in the table with your own shoulder-to-wrist measurement. Change the length below the gathered cap only, so the puff keeps its shape.

Shoulder. Puff sleeves already add width at the top, so a shoulder that is too broad quickly looks oversized. If your shoulders are narrower than your bust size, trace the smaller size at the shoulder and blend out to your size at the underarm.

Bust. Pick the size from your bust, as described in choosing the right sewing pattern size. If the buttons pull, the front darts are the place to add room with a full bust adjustment.

Waist. The waist seam is where the peplum hangs from, so it needs to sit at your real waist. Check your waist and back length measurements and, if needed, lengthen or shorten the bodice above the dart points, as the sewing notes explain.

Sewing notes

Fabric tips for a peplum jacket

The fabric has to do two jobs: hold the neat, darted bodice and still gather softly at the sleeves and peplum. Light wool crepe and flannel do both well and press into clean darts. Soft bouclé gives a textured, cosy jacket with real character. Linen suiting and cotton twill make crisp, washable versions for spring and summer.

Avoid heavy coatings, thick tweeds and stiff denim: gathers in thick cloth turn bulky, and the peplum will stick out instead of falling. Very soft, floaty fabrics have the opposite problem, and the puffs collapse.

Pre-wash linen and cotton the way you’ll wash the jacket. Steam wool well before cutting. With bouclé, flannel or a one-way print, cut all pieces in the same direction and add the extra fabric noted in the materials list. For the facings and collar stand, a lightweight fusible is enough; test it on a scrap of your fabric first, especially on bouclé, where too much heat can flatten the texture.

Sewing steps

Seam allowance is 1 cm (3/8″) throughout. Sew with right sides together unless a step says otherwise.

1. Prepare the pieces. Fuse interfacing to the facings and collar stands. Staystitch the Front and Back necklines 8 mm from the edge, and finish the seam edges if your fabric frays.
2. Sew the darts. Stitch the front bust and waist darts and the back shoulder and waist darts from the wide end to the point; knot the threads. Press bust darts down, the others toward the centre.
3. Shoulder and side seams. Join the Fronts to the Back at the shoulders and sides. Press open.
4. Prepare the peplum. Join the front halves to the back peplum at the sides. Narrow-hem the front edges (5 mm twice) and the lower edge (1 cm twice). Sew two rows of gathering stitches along the top.
5. Attach the peplum. Pin it to the bodice, matching side seams and centre back, with the front edges 1 cm in from the bodice edge. Gather to fit, stitch and press the allowances up.
6. Make the collar stand. Stitch the two stands along the top and ends, trim, turn and press. Baste the stand to the neckline, ends on the front stitching lines.
7. Collar and facing. Join the facings at the shoulders and finish the outer edge. Pin the facing over the garment with the stand sandwiched between, and stitch down one front, around the neck and down the other front. Grade and clip.
8. Finish the facing. Understitch, turn the facing inside, press, and tack it to the shoulder seams and the peplum seam.
9. Set in the sleeves. Gather the sleeve cap, sew the underarm seam and hem the sleeve. Pin into the armhole, push the fullness to the top for the puff, and stitch.
10. Buttons and buttonholes. Make horizontal buttonholes on the right front, sew the buttons on the left front and give the jacket a final press.

Sewing tips for this jacket

Use two rows of gathering stitches, not one. Sew them inside the seam allowance on the peplum and sleeve caps. Two rows spread the fullness more evenly and are far less likely to snap.

Spread the peplum gathers by section. Divide the peplum and the bodice waist into quarters with pins before pulling up the threads. Even gathers make the flare look intentional instead of lumpy.

Keep the sleeve gathers at the very top. Match the shoulder seam and push the fullness into the upper part of the cap, as step 9 says. Gathers that slide toward the underarm make the sleeve look puckered rather than puffed.

Watch the front edges of the peplum. They must sit 1 cm in from the bodice edge. If you skip this, the peplum will peek out past the facing when the jacket is buttoned.

Press the waist seam up, gently. Press only the seam allowance toward the bodice and don’t flatten the gathers below, or the peplum loses its lift.

Ways to change it up

Longer peplum. Add a few centimetres to the peplum hem for a more dramatic skirt-like flare, as the sewing notes allow.

Short puff sleeves. Cut the sleeve just above the elbow and finish with a band for a summer jacket in linen.

No-peplum version. Leave the peplum off and finish the bodice with a facing at the waist for a cropped, boxy jacket. This is a self-drafted change, so test it in a scrap fabric first.

Outfits to wear it with

Polished: wool crepe jacket, matching pencil skirt and pumps for a ladylike suit.

Easy everyday: linen version over a tee with straight jeans and ballet flats.

Summer evening: open over a slip dress, like our free spaghetti strap dress pattern. If you prefer a cleaner, simpler shape, the Elodie fitted jacket pattern has a stand collar and no peplum.

Questions

Is seam allowance included?

Yes: 1 cm (3/8″) on every seam, 1 cm at the sleeve hem and 2 cm at the peplum hem.

Which paper sizes are included?

The free download comes in A4 and US Letter, with one file per size from 00 to 22.

How many buttons do I need?

Seven 1 cm (3/8″) buttons for sizes 2 to 22, and six for sizes 00 and 0. Buy one spare.

Can I make it in linen for summer?

Yes. Linen or linen-viscose suiting works well and gives a lighter, more relaxed jacket.

Do I need shoulder pads?

No. They are optional; thin 0.5–1 cm pads give a sharper shoulder line.

Is a peplum jacket hard to sew?

It is rated intermediate. The extra challenge is managing the gathers on the peplum and sleeve heads; the rest is standard darts, seams and a faced collar.

Does a peplum jacket suit every body shape?

The peplum adds volume at the hip and the puff sleeves add width at the shoulder, so it creates a defined waist on most figures. You can make the peplum longer or shorter to change how much it flares.

Can I sew this jacket in bouclé?

Yes, soft bouclé is one of the suggested fabrics. Choose one that still gathers easily, and press with a cloth so the texture isn’t crushed.

How do I make the puff sleeves stand up?

Concentrate the gathers at the top of the cap and steam the cap over a sleeve roll after sewing. Optional thin shoulder pads also help support them.

Is the jacket lined?

No. It is finished with an interfaced facing at the neckline and front edges, and the seams are finished inside.

Can I wear it as a top?

Yes. Because it is fitted and buttons up to a mandarin collar, it works buttoned as a blouse-style top with high-waisted trousers or skirts.

Happy sewing!